Selectively configurable brushless dc motor
AssigneeWoodward, Inc.
InventorMark A. Spickard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator including a motor with a configurable topology and a switching array operably coupled to the motor. The switching array is adapted to configure the topology of the motor. The switching array may include a first set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to a Y-configuration or a Δ-configuration and a second set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to eliminate one or more stator poles of the motor. The switching array may further include a third set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to activate a number of windings on each of a plurality of stator poles of the motor.
Claims25
(canceled)
An actuator, comprising:
- a motor with a configurable topology;
- and
- a switching array operably coupled to the motor, the switching array adapted to configure the topology of the motor;
- wherein the switching array includes a first set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to a Y-configuration or a Δ-configuration and a second set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor, the motor having a number of active stator poles, to eliminate half of the active stator poles of the motor.
An actuator, comprising:
- a motor with a configurable topology;
- and
- a switching array operably coupled to the motor, the switching array adapted to configure the topology of the motor;
- wherein the switching array includes a first set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to a Y-configuration or a Δ-configuration and a second set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to activate a number of windings on each of a plurality of stator poles of the motor.
An actuator, comprising:
- a motor with a configurable topology;
- and
- a switching array operably coupled to the motor, the switching array adapted to configure the topology of the motor;
- wherein the switching array includes a first set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor, the motor having a number of active stator poles, to eliminate half of the active stator poles of the motor and a second set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to activate a number of windings on each of the stator poles of the motor.
An actuator, comprising:
- a motor with a configurable topology;
- a switching array operably coupled to the motor, the switching array adapted to configure the topology of the motor;
- a digital valve positioner (DVP) operably connected to the switching array;
- wherein the switching array includes a first set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to a Y-configuration or a Δ-configuration, a second set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to eliminate one or more stator poles of the motor, and a third set of switches for configuring the topology of the motor to activate a number of windings on each of a plurality of stator poles of the motor;
- and
- wherein the DVP commands switching of the first, second, and third sets of switches.
An actuator, comprising:
- a motor with a configurable topology;
- and
- a switching array operably coupled to the motor, the switching array adapted to configure the topology of the motor;
- wherein, for a given voltage, the motor topology includes at least a first set speed in a first topology, a second set speed in a second topology, and a third set speed in a third topology, each of the set speeds being a no-load, maximum speed of the motor for each of the respective topologies, the first set speed being the slowest set speed and providing the highest torque of the motor topology, the second set speed providing the fastest set speed of the motor topology, and the third set speed being faster than the first set speed.
An actuator, comprising:
- a motor with a configurable topology;
- and
- a switching array operably coupled to the motor, the switching array adapted to configure the topology of the motor;
- wherein the motor topology includes a first set speed in a first topology and a second set speed in a second topology, each set speed being a no-load, maximum speed of the motor for each respective topology, the second set speed being between twelve and fifteen times higher than the first set speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.